1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electronic clinical thermometer and, more particularly, to an electronic clinical thermometer in which at least the temperature sensing portion or the entire thermometer has a flexible structure which adapts itself to any part of a body surface for automatically measuring body temperature or body surface temperature over an extended period of time.
2. Description of the Related Art
The temperature sensing portion of conventional electronic clinical thermometers has a solid, rod-shaped form and is fixedly inserted into a specific part of the body, such as the armpit, rectum or mouth, to measure temperature. Accordingly, the temperature sensing portion or the entire thermometer lacks a flexible structure, so that the body cannot move freely while its temperature is being measured. In a case where a part of the body other than those mentioned above, such as the surface of the body, is to have its temperature measured, it is extremely difficult to affix the temperature sensing portion to the body surface owing to its shape.
Further, the conventional electronic clinical thermometer is such that the results of body temperature measurement are successively displayed by a display element such as a liquid-crystal cell. This means that if a change in body temperature over a given day is to be measured, it is necessary to repeatedly observe the displayed temperature and record it. Such a thermometer is troublesome to handle and involves considerable risk of error as far as recording the temperature is concerned.